From Smart Hydrogel Design to 4D-Printed Scaffolds: Emerging Paradigms in Precision Drug Delivery and Regenerative Wound Therapy
Mariana Chelu, José María Calderón Moreno, Monica Popa · MDPI AG · 2026
This review explores the design and application of smart hydrogels and 4D-printed scaffolds for drug delivery and wound healing.
Plain English summary
Why this matters
Key findings
- Smart hydrogels have stimuli-responsive properties suitable for drug delivery and wound healing.
- 4D printing techniques enhance the functionality of hydrogel scaffolds.
- The review identifies challenges in material performance and clinical translation.
- Design approaches enable spatiotemporal control of drug release.
- Issues of reproducibility and mechanical stability are critical limitations.
What's new
The review synthesizes recent trends in smart hydrogel design and 4D printing, emphasizing programmable architectures for biomedical applications.
Limitations
The abstract mentions limitations in reproducibility, mechanical stability, and the gap between experimental studies and clinical application.
Commercial context
The abstract does not provide information on commercial availability or readiness.
Publication
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Publication date
- May 1, 2026
- Research type
- Paper
- License
- https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Tags
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